mah1980

I never knew that honeymoon planning could be so frustrating! I've given my mom all of the wedding planning tasks, which leaves me researching honeymoon options. I feel so much pressure to plan a good vacation because everyone says you will always remember your honeymoon...

I thought we were set on Turks and Caicos, however, I have overruled that island because I want a little more vegetation to contribute to an "island feel." Plus, I am concerned about the recent posts re the flurry of construction on the beach.

Please give me some suggestions. The honeymoon will be in the beginning of November. We don't want to spend more than 4k (including food, lodging, airfare), which shouldn't be difficult because we'll be leaving from Tampa, Fl.

A couple of the islands I've been interested in:
*Anguilla (I would love Cuisinart but it seems too pricey...the Frangipani (sp?) seems nice though);

*Harbour Island, Bahamas (the Coral Sands Hotel); and

*Tortola, BVI (Long Bay Resort).

St. Lucia looks great, but I don't think the beaches are exactly what we're looking for. We want the best of both worlds: great beaches but pretty plants and greenery. Good restaurants are also important.

Thanks for your help!

zachsarbean1

Tortola is beautiful and I have heard that Anguilla is wonderful. My husband and I honeymooned in St.John in Aug '03 and will be returning this year. It is very lush. We rented a villa through "privatehomesvi.com"
They are all beautiful homes with gorgeous views. I have also stayed at Gallow's Point which is a short walk to the small, quaint town where you can easily catch a taxi if you don't rent a vehicle. Good Luck and don't let it stress you out!!! You will always remember your honeymoon, but you can only watch out for so many things...I think that no matter where we went, it would have been wonderful after having a big, fun but stressful wedding!!! It's just a time to relax, so don't get stressed about the honeymoon!

Sunnyboy

Anguilla has fantastic beaches but it does not have very much in the way of natural vegetation. It is similar in geographical and agricultural make-up as the Turks & Caicos, i.e. flat, arid little natural vegetation. If you eliminated the T&C's for lack of vegetation you will probably be disappointed in Anguilla.

Look at islands like St. John, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Peter Island, St. Barth's, St. Martin and Antigua. They all offer a good combination of hilly terraine, natural greenery and light sandy beaches surrounded by clear tourquoise blue waters.

You should be able to find any number of hotels amd resorts in your budget on those islands.

golf_guy

mah1980,

Take a look at Goat Hill villa on Linda Smith's website www.jamaicavillas.com.
I think it will meet all your criteria --including a staff who will care for your every need, blessed privacy, and beauty all around you.
You'll decide what you want to eat, when you want to eat. You'll have the pool to yourselves. But you'll be close enough to MoBay to go in for dinner or to visit a club.
There's no beach. But if beach is important, Linda has a couple other villas near Goat Hill that have priviliges at Round Hill Club. She has some other villas that are right on the beach elsewhere on the north coast of Jamaica.
Another great possibility is the Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios. Put Jamaica Inn in the search box above and you'll pull up all the threads and posts about this wonderful little resort. Check their website at www.jamaicainn.com. Great rooms, great beach, great service, great food, and the funkiest little band playing during dinner.
Either of these above suggestions will deliver you a honeymoon that you will remember fondly well into the furure.

And in both cases, you'll be well within your budget.

Callaloo

MAH,

Give yourself a break and relax. Yes, it's your honeymoon and you want it to be special. But believe me, the fact that it's your honeymoon will make it special and memorable, regardless of where you go. Your first "official" trip as a married couple doesn't have to be perfect; if you view it as a starting point to successively better and better journeys together, you might take some of the pressure off yourself. And as you learn from your travels and learn how you travel together, each trip will be better and better.

That said, if I were doing it all over again, and knew what I know now, I would definitely head for the Bahamas Out Islands -- especially in November, since many people think that's the best time of year there. So if Harbour Island sounds good to you, go for it.

(Incidentally, I honeymooned on St. Maarten 15+ years ago. Didn't think too much of it and haven't gone back, but it will always hold a place in my heart and mind because it was our honeymoon. But our next trip as a couple was to Eleuthera, and we'd found what we were looking for. 6 additional Out Island vacations have followed that one, with the 7th planned for this November. I've also been to most of the other places you named, and I'd still make the same choice, but in the end, it has to be what sounds best for you.)

mah1980

Thanks for the responses. The BVIs do sound fantastic. One of my good friends is going on her honeymoon to Peter Island Resort in August and I'm quite jealous.

I like everything I have read about Harbour Island, especially Coral Sands. Callaloo- the restaurants seem good on the island based on my research, has that been your experience too? Where do you usually stay at in Harbour Island?

I also like Antigua. I was looking at the Cocobay Resort but I've seen some bad reviews on Tripadvisor centering on the resort's lack of AC and proper mosquito nets. That doesn't sound conducive to a good honeymoon. Anybody have alternate Antigua lodging suggestions that will fit within the $4k budget (including food, lodging, and airfare)?

Thanks again for your help!

Callaloo

MAH, while I'm an Out Island devotee, I've not stayed at Harbour Island in particular; my experience includes Eleuthera, the Abacos and Cat Island. Check out wantsomesun's posts (f/k/a Tweedy) -- she knows Harbour Island. Also check out www.briland.com, if you haven't already. What I can tell you is that generally, the Out Islands are very laid back, with the most gorgeous beaches and amazing waters; Harbour Island has those pink beaches. The landscape is not super lush or hilly, but sort of muted. While some islands (St. Lucia, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Grenada) are like primary colors, the Out Islands are like pastels.

If you want more of the greenery and hills, I would pick the BVI over Antigua. While we enjoyed Antigua, we found the islanders a bit cool to us, despite efforts to engage them. I think the BVI offer a prettier landscape (with fewer beaches, but still plenty) and friendlier islanders. There are plenty of options, for both resorts and villas, that will fit your budget (visit www.traveltalkonline.com for a very active BVI message board). There is much more to the BVI than Peter Island Resort (though it is awfully nice).

If you want to do something different, think about a crewed yacht charter in the BVI -- two of you can sail on a Moorings yacht, with crew and all meals included, for $3200 in November. The catch is that you would be sharing the boat with other guests, which might not interest you on your honeymoon. If you can sail your own boat, however, you have many more options.

Sunnyboy

For an very active Antigua forum go to:

www.geographia.com/guestbook/antigua/

You'll find extensive comments on just about every hotel and resort on the island.

By the way, as an add on to Callaloo comments, my wfe and I (just us - no other guests) did a one week crewed (captain and chef) charter through the Grenadines for just over $3,000. It included all meals, snacks and drinks (both soft and alcholic). It was a terrific way to see many different islands, beaches and views of the sunsets.

ejcrowe

MAH: Congrats on your honeymoon. You're right, it should be fun but sometimes it's too easy to get bogged down in all of the information people throw at you.

I love Antigua, but I think my favorite place there, Long Bay Hotel, is too casual for what you're looking for. The island offers a really nice combination of landscapes--lush and hilly on the west coast, arid and a bit flatter on the east. It's got historical sites such as the old forts and Nelson's Dockyard, it's got a bit of shopping, and it's got some lovely cultural sites as well--the cathedral and museum downtown, Harmony Hall, and others.

Maybe take a look at Blue Waters on the north/west part of the island. It's small, intimate, and a bit more upscale than Long Bay. They offer a variety of meal plans, including an AI one.

Galley Bay is a very romantic resort on the west coast. It's AI and it consitently gets good ratings. The beach there is beautiful and the grounds are lush, but frequently the sea is too rough for swimming there. Sunset views are fantastic.

What do you and your fiance(e) most want for your honeymoon? Outdoor adventures? Spa pampering? Fabulous food? Lush setting? Long stretches of beautiful white beaches? Watersports? Romantic seclusion? Nightlife? Shopping?

Have you checked out the website www.luxurylink.com? It provides a nice overview of many of the upscale properties available in the Caribbean and it will give you an idea of how much a 5-7 night package will cost. Even if you don't want to bid on a package there, you'll be armed with a lot of information.

Have you considered Young Island, just off the coast of St. Vincent? There are often good package deals for that resort. And though the beach is small, you would still have the entire island of St. Vincent for exploring if you wish.

If you want a bit more activity, Idle Awhile in Negril, Jamaica, would be great. You could get a suite there with an ocean view fro much less money than just abut anywhere. Beautiful beach, clear blue water, lush vegetation. But very busy here--activities galore! Jamaica Inn on the northern coast of Jamaica offers a bit more seclusion with a lot more pampering and service. Good reviews ofo both places abound here and on other websites.

Barbados might also be a good island for you, particularly on the west coast. Beautiful white sand beaches and somewhat lush vegetations. My only experience is with Cobblers Cove, which is EXTREMELY quiet but with excellent food and service.

You could also do a combined vacation of a few nights at an upscale place and a few nights at a lower end place. On Virgin Gorda, maybe 4-5 nights at Biras Creek and then a couple of nights elsewhere. Depending on where you fly into, 1 night at start and end of stay on either St. Thomas or Tortola, then the rest of the time at Biras or Little Dix on Virgin Gorda.

But really, no matter what you do and where you go, your honeymoon will definitely be memorable. If possible, try not to stress about it too much and enjoy the planning--it's a lot more fun than planning a wedding, in my opinion!

ejcrowe

Sunnyboy, who did you use for your Grenadines charter? That sounds right up my alley--I'd always thought that a crewed charter would be about twice that price. Thanks!

kfusto

I have stayed on Harbour Island 4 times and loved it each time.

My favorite romantic spot is Runaway Hill Club, then Coral Sands then Romora Bay Club.

It is pristine with wonderful beaches and VERY low key.

Tortola was wonderful as well and I love the BVI. But Peter Island was not my favorite spot.

For truly tropical foliage and scenery, my two long time favorites are Jamaica and St. Lucia. Jamiaca Inn and San Souce are very romantic in Jamaica and LeSport and Ladera are nice spots in St. L. I prefer adults only destinations for my vacations so my recommendation is to book a spot that does not allow children.

Knowing

I recommend that you take a little pressure off yourself. Will you always remember your honeymoon? Sure you will. But if you're striving for perfection, you will be in tears if it rains. The time spent together is the most important above anything else. All islands have glorious sunsets. Many have wonderful reefs. Some have lots of trees. Some are known for their fine cuisine. Wherever you choose you will find much beauty to appreciate.
BTW, we got married and honeymooned in Hawaii. Went back last year for the first time in ten years, but this time to Kauai. We enjoyed this trip a lot more. So, the biggest thing to remember is that you'll be with the man you love - your husband. Best Wishes to you!

Sunnyboy

To - ejcrowe: Now that I've given it more thought, our Grenadine sail was 4+ years ago (time seems to fly by quickly at my advanced age) so my price of just over $3,000 is probably somewhat dated. I certainly didn't mean to mis-lead anybody - least of all mah1980 who seems to be having a difficult time planning her honeymoon. I hope she finds what she is looking for in a Caribbean honeymoon but then maybe she'll get hooked like the rest of us and her honeymoon will be the first of many trips to the islands - so many islands, so little time.

Anyway, we did a lot of "on-line" research to find competive prices and ended up using Nicholson Yacht Charters but as I recall many of the same yacht's were available at the same prices from several different brokers. Do a google search for "Yacht Charters - Caribbean" and you'll find hundreds of web-sites.

Apologies to everyone for seeming to highjack this thread.

owa

Jamaica Inn has a package on Luxury Link right now. I've used LL in the past and have been very pleased. Owa

mah1980

Thanks for all of your helpful suggestions. Your posts have been extremely informative.

Ejcrowe: I haven't considered the idea of staying at two different hotels over the course of our honeymoon. I thought that it might be annoying to move to another hotel once we've arrived at the island, but it may be the best way to get luxury at a reasonable price. Now that I think of it, one of my friends is going to Costa Rica in May and staying at the Four Seasons for 5 nights, and then a more intimate (and cheaper) place in the mountains for the remaining two nights of her honeymoon.

Perhaps that is why I feel like I have to plan the perfect honeymoon- I have so many girlfriends that are engaged and they are all going on such fantastic honeymoons. As for St. Vincent, I have looked at the island and it seems beautiful. I'll give it more thought, however, the plane ride is not pretty and it will take two days away from the vacation.

Calloloo: I have looked on a Harbour Island website (www.myharbourisland.com) that is run by the owner of Arthur's, a bakery and interestingly enough, internet cafe, that gets good reviews. It's a thorough website and it provides an honest account of the island. For instance, Arthur compiled a list called "Ten Reasons Not to Visit Harbour Island." After reading the list, I'm still interested. Your desription of the Out Islands as shaded in "pastel colors" seems to be on point based on the pictures on the website. Another bonus about Harbour Island, Bahamas is that the plane ride is only 2 hours from our destination beach wedding in Florida.

Sunnyboy: the chartered sailing idea sounds really great. How did that work exactly; did you fly into the Grenadines and then sail? The Grenadines look amazing. Every island looks amazing...except perhaps Aruba, which based on the descriptions I've read as more casinos than Las Vegas!

Thanks for the suggestions about Jamaica. I would love to go there, but my future husband doesn't like the high murder rate of the island. I tried to explain to him what I've learned through my research, basically that the crime is localized and generally doesn't affect tourists, but he doesn't like the idea of Jamaica nonetheless. As a side note, he grew up in the New Orleans area so he is not sheltered with regard to crime, he just doesn't want to have the potential of encountering any on vacation. It's sad b/c I think it would fit the bill perfectly!

Please let me know if you have any other feedback or ideas. Thanks again.

Sunnyboy

For our Charter we flew to St. Vincent and met the boat the following morning (at the dock across from Young Island). We then sailed "down" the island chain stopping at Bequia, Petit Nevis, Mayreau, Canouan, the Tobago Cays, Mustique, Petit St. Vincent and ending at Union Island. What makes this trip good is you travel at your own pace (each evening the captain works out the next day's itineray with you), you can alter your destinations to suit your desires, you are never out of sight of land, the waters between the islands are not too wavy and yet you get some decent sailing times between islands. From Union Island we flew back back home (took 3 different flights). By the way, Petit St. Vincent is the southern most of the Grenadines. You could, if you want, sail to Carriocu, Petit Martinique (I think that's the right name) and Grenada if you have a few more days. You are slightly mistaken, Aruba (with all its high rise hotels and casinos), Bonaire and Curacao are not part of the Grenadines and are much further south and west - much too far and too much "blue water" (read rough seas) to sail from the Grenadines unless you are a really experienced ocean sailor.

jpw

First off, congratulations on the marriage. We honeymooned in St. Lucia. I HIGHLY recommend this. My best friend, another friend, and my best friend's parents have all gone to "our" resort after seeing our pictures. I only recommend St. Lucia iIF you stay at least a portion of the stay at LaDera Resort. It is located in a remote part of the island. The rooms are open aired, no bugs, plung pools in each room, secluded (think of sun bathing on your own balcony that over looks the Piton mountains and then dipping into your own plung pool). We had the same budget as you. You can't stay at Ladera for a full week for $4000, but you can stay a few days and then move on to somewhere else. Word to the wise...Ladera is so spectacular I suggest that you stay at the other place first so that you're not disappointed when you leave Ladera. The beach down at the Hilton Jalouise (Very short ride from Ladera) is the most spectaular scene I've experienced and we've traveled alot. Imagine snorkling between 2 mountains that end in the ocean and a white sand beach. I think that others who go to St. Lucia only stay near Castries and miss the whole beauty of the island. Anyway, enjoy and remember the honeymoon is just a vacation to get you start. Their will be plenty more to plan!

orangetravelcat

How about Young Island Resort, St Vincent and the Grenadines? We were married there in 1992 - and I hope to get back there someday. A lush, private island resort, with individual cottages, and it offers a "sailaway" option - 3 days on a sailboat with captain and cook. We did that, plus 7 nights at the resort. Check out their website.

MarionCK

To golf_guy....

I recall that when I asked about Linda Smith's villas, last year, you suggested Goat Hill.

In reading this thread, your description of Goat Hill sounds like you may have been there.

Have you ...or do you have friends who have stayed there ?

I am booked for two weeks...departing 4/10. I'd love to hear any personal experiences.

Thanks !

Marion

grahams

Good luck on your planning!

As for lush, the most lush island we have been to is St. John....just beautiful, most of the island is an ecopark. We stayed at Gallow's Point, which is 5 minute walk from town (great restaurants and local folks) and the ferry.

Tortola is also beautiful, and Long Bay is a great looking hotel. Roads are practically straight up and down (very mountainous) making for some hair raising driving, but fun. You can ferry over to Virgin Gorda, which was quiet and beautiful.

We loved Antigua, and found just the opposite of another post, that the locals were extremely friendly! The weekly party at Shirley Heights is not to be missed.

Harbour Island is nice, small, not much to do. You rent a golf cart to get around the island, which is a lot of fun. We stayed on Eleuthera twice, extremely quiet, nice beaches. We were there before and after a hurricane, which practically ruined tourism on the island. But you can rent a villa, or there are a few small hotels.

If you are a snorkeler or diver, you cannot beat Bonaire, also for the friendly people. But beaches are lacking there, it is mostly drop-into-the-water, and right into a reef.

You are correct, Turks and Caicos is a flat island, as when we were there there was a lot of construction going on. We stayed at the Ocean Club, which was very nice.

Not been to St. Lucia, because I have heard the roads are pretty bad, and we like to explore a complete island.

As for crime, definitely skip Jamaica and ST. Thomas if this is a concern for you.

You can do all of these islands on your budget. Have fun!